Gas price meet

New Delhi, Aug. 27: The first meeting of a group of ministers looking into the contentious issue of natural gas pricing remained inconclusive today, even as the oil ministry said the government has no role in fixing prices in areas auctioned since 2000 to companies such as Reliance Industries. “The meeting was inconclusive ... We will meet again at 6 pm tomorrow,” petroleum minister Murli Deora said.

IRDA rules

New Delhi, Aug. 27: IRDA today said insurance companies can neither terminate nor appoint chief executives and directors without the prior approval of the authority.

GM boss

New Delhi, Aug. 27: General Motors has appointed Karl Slym as president and managing director of GM India with effect from October 1. Slym will take over charge from Rajeev Chaba.

IT zones

New Delhi, Aug. 27: Proposals of special economic zones for IT and ITeS, including those by Tata Consultancy Services and Cognizant Technology, will dominate the board of approval’s next meeting on August 30. The board will take up 31 applications in all.

Punjab Chem

Mumbai, Aug. 27: Punjab Chemicals and Crop Protection has acquired the Netherlands-based Pegevo Beheer BV for Rs 225 crore. The takeover has been done through Punjab Chemicals’ Belgian subsidiary, SD Agchem, and its step-down subsidiary in the Netherlands, SD Agchem.

SME bourse

Coimbatore, Aug. 27: Sebi chairman M. Damodaran, having observed that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India needed a separate platform for stock listing, today said the board will decide on the issue by mid-October.

Bank merger

Mumbai, Aug. 27: The Reserve Bank today said it has approved the merger of the Kerala-based Lord Krishna Bank with Centurion Bank of Punjab and the scheme would be effective from Wednesday, August 29.